Woman in her 80s dies after being attacked by two escaped dogs in West Midlands

Two escaped dogs attacked and killed a woman in her 80s after bursting into her back garden – and a man believed to be the animals’ owner has been arrested. 

Armed police swooped on the pensioner’s property after they were alerted to the incident in Rowley Regis, a town west of Birmingham, at around 3.20pm today.  

Emergency services could not save the pensioner, who was confirmed dead at the scene soon after being found, West Midlands Police said in a statement. An air ambulance had landed in nearby Britannia Park but the woman died at the scene after being bitten. 

A vet had raced to the scene armed with a tranquiliser to sedate the animals, which have since been seized to establish their breed.

Police said the dogs did not belong to the woman, but managed to get into her garden before attacking her. A neighbour said they had heard there was a broken fence that the animals managed to pass through and maul the woman to death. 

A 43-year-old local man remains in custody for questioning after he was detained on suspicion of being the person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control, leading to a death, West Midlands Police said. 

Pictured: Two armed police officers carry an orange bag holding the body of a dog, following a vet holding a tranquilliser gun, after an 80-year-old woman was killed by two dogs in her back garden in Rowley Regis, a town west of Birmingham

Pictured: Two officers carry the second presumably tranquillised dog in an orange bag towards an open van outside

Picutred: Armed officers outside a home in Rowley Regis, West Midlands, where a woman in her 80s was attacked and killed by two escaped dogs. A 43-year-old man has been arrested

Police at the scene in Rowely Regis, West Midlands, on April 2 2021. Police said the woman ‘sustained dog bite injuries’, but noted that a post mortem examination would take place soon to establish the cause of death

Police said she ‘sustained dog bite injuries’, but noted that a post mortem examination would take place soon to establish the cause of death.

Pictures from the scene on Friday evening showed a large presence of armed police officers outside a home, as well as a vet carrying a tranquilliser gun.

Two dogs have also been seized, the police said, and they would be examined to determine their breed. 

A vet was seen leaving through the property along with armed officers carrying orange body bags used to hold the two dogs.  

A rescue helicopter was spotted at the scene, and an air ambulance had landed in nearby Britannia Park while police cordoned off the road.  

Police at the scene in Rowely Regis, West Midlands. There was a large presence of police and other emergency vehicles – including a rescue helicopter – at the scene , according to witnesses and local news reports

Pictured: A vet arrives at the home in Rowley Regis with a tranquilliser gun, and is seen running towards the home past police vehicles

Pictured: Armed police are seen leaving the home of the woman who was killed by two escaped dogs. The breed of the dogs is yet to be determined

Pictures from the scene showed a vet and assistants preparing a tranquilliser gun  outside the house

According to one person on Facebook, the woman was 83 and had been attacked by two pitbulls, although this was unconfirmed at the time of writing.

Forensic officers were also said to be at the scene, along with two police vehicles with dogs inside, the local outlet reported.  

Passersby were urged to avoid the area in the town where pictures showed several emergency vehicles parked on the street. 

Pictured: Armed police and forensic officers leave the house, two of whom are seen carrying the sedated body of a dog

Pictured left: An armed police officer is seen leading other officers out of the home of the woman to an open van. Right: Police officers walk down the side of the house in Rowley Regis

Pictured: The house in the West Midlands where the woman was attacked by the two dogs, cordoned off by armed police

A woman has been killed after being attacked by two escaped dogs that got into her garden in the West Midlands on Friday, the police have said. Pictured: The police presence on the scene on Boundary Avenue, Rowley Regis, a town west of Birmingham

Pictured: Rowley Regis. A police presence will remain at the scene as officers work to establish the events leading to the woman’s death, West Midlands Police said

There were also pictures that showed an air ambulance landing in a nearby field.

A police presence will remain at the scene as officers work to establish the events leading to the woman’s death, West Midlands Police said.

‘Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the woman at this deeply distressing time,’ the police statement concluded.